English to English: ‘translating’ a cultural divide

English to English: ‘translating’ a cultural divide
Our Tumblr project has explored over 400 US-UK cross-cultural topics. As the Guardian continues to reach a global audience, the nature of ‘translations’ is changing

Since its launch last May, the Guardian’s English to English Tumblr project has explored hundreds of topics that cause great confusion (or, at the very least, a bit of head-scratching) to people reading from different locations around the globe.

The project was launched by journalists in our US office after we found ourselves constantly defending ‘Americanisms’ in story threads.

The Americans are ruining the English language or are they?

In 1995 Prince Charles caused a ruckus when he lamented the unchecked spread of American English – and the effect of American usage is one that’s perennially lamented. But is it true? Are Americans really ruining the English language?

Whose language is it?

Gok Wan feels the heat for calling breasts ‘bangers’ in Ausralian ad.

Gok Wan feels heat for calling breasts ‘bangers’ in Australian ad
Target defends its use of British host in television advertising campaign amid viewer complaints about ‘degrading’ comments
Share 47

inShare
1
Email
Oliver Milman
theguardian.com, Monday 26 August 2013 19.14 AEST
Jump to comments (95)

Under fire: Gok Wan. Photograph: Murdo Macleod/The Guardian
Target has been forced to defend itself from complaints about the British TV host Gok Wan’s use of the word “bangers” to describe breasts in its Australian advertising campaign.